Ramirez and Estrada donate 1,000 tickets to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Fresno County

Jose Ramirez and Seniesa Estrada at the press conference on March 23.

By Valentina Saldaña, Sports Editor
Mar 24, 2023

As Top Rank boxers Jose Ramirez and Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada prepare for their match on Saturday, March 25, they made a special stop at the Zimmerman Boys & Girls Club in Fresno. The boxers interacted with kids, signed merch and took pictures. They also donated 1,000 tickets to the organization’s staff, youth and their families.

Sandra Chaney, the director of community relations and special events of the Fresno County Boys & Girls Club, shared with The Collegian what this means for their organization.

“It means a lot because these kids and their families wouldn’t be able to afford to attend such a great event,” she said. “This is like an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Fresno County has 14 Boys and Girls Clubs, serving about 3,500 members. It will enter its 75th year of service in the Central Valley next year.

Estrada and Ramirez with kids at the Zimmerman Boys and Girls Club in Fresno. (Valentina Saldaña/The Collegian)

Ramirez is a Valley native himself, raised in the outskirts of Fresno in the small community of Avenal.

He said growing up in a small agriculture based area there was “no other window of opportunity,” so he wants to be an example for Central Valley kids.

“I’m very blessed because there were also less distractions in Avenal. I know Fresno, being a bigger city, there might be more distractions, and kids might get lost in the way to following their goals,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez has a 27-1 record with 17 knockouts and will return to the Save Mart Center, where six of his previous matches have been hosted.

Ramirez signs Top Rank merch for kids. (Valentina Saldaña/The Collegian)

The former unified world champion will face Richard “RC” Commey, former lightweight world champion.

Commey, who is from Accra, Ghana, holds a record of 30-4-1 with 27 knockouts. He earned the IBF world title in February 2019, holding the title for 10 months.

They will compete 12 rounds in the junior welterweight main event. Ramirez shared what we can expect to see from him.

Ramirez and Commey face off. (Valentina Saldaña/The Collegian)

“I’m the type of fighter who leaves it all in the ring. So I fight with my heart and I know people will be very very proud after that bell rings. My goal is always to come in with a smile and leave with a bigger smile,” he said.

Estrada will go up against Tina Rupprecht during the co-feature of the event in a world title unification clash.

Estrada signs a boxing glove at the Boys and Girls Club. (Valentina Saldaña/The Collegian)

Rupprecht has three knockouts under her belt with a 12-0-1 record. Originally from Augsburg, Germany, the boxer is also the World Boxing Council world champion and will look to defend that title on Saturday.

Estrada holds the title World Boxing Association minimumweight world champion and is a California native from Los Angeles. She signed with Top Rank last year and holds an undefeated record at 23-0 with nine knockouts. She also has the quickest knockout in women’s boxing history, knocking out Miranda Adkins seven seconds after the bell.